Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-12-13
The Proposed school Bill.

To the Editor Of The EVENING STAR:
The enactment of law defining properly the
relations between the school board and the Dis
trict Commissioners is Of great public interest 1t
Is important that the dissensions, which have
been so frequent since 1874, shall cease. But the
bill recommended by DIR. Reyburn, Mr.. Scott
Smith, Gen. Hovey ami others ought to be
Amended In several respects before IL Is approved
by the Committee OF One Hundred. In its present
form 1t is not so good as the bill that passed the
House last winter. Let me state few objections
to 1t
l. 1t goes into effect upon its passage. The pres
ent school year would De broken In half New
trustees new superintendent new assistants new
everythingl All this tout, say, the 1st o. April,
some two months and half before the end OF the
present session. Don't be in such hurry. Let US
have improvement not anarchy. The new law
should go into effect at the end OF the year.
p The board Is TO perform, control and direct
all executive duties In connection" with the
schools. This was not In the former bill. What
does It mean7 III it Is not an idle generality, It
means that the trustees are 10 build alter and re-
pair school houses make building and other con-
tracts, &C., &c. In this case they will need law
yer, an auditor, an inspector OF buildings book
keeper, and other executive aids The phrase Is a
rhetorical flourish and may be dropped without
injury 10 the bill.
3 supervising principals of schoo, divisions "
Is it Intended 10 c0nIlne the duties OF each of
these ofcialS TO single division? The usage is to
employ each OF them In Inspections in all the
divisions assigning perhaps all the schools OF one
grade 10 one supervisor. The change proposed is
Tor the worse. These functionartes are not "prin-
cipalS" OF schools and should be called assistant
supertntendents"-a name that cOnnoteS their
functions
4. "And may discharge the same =. teachers
superintendent, &C., "at their discretion" such
an absolute power ought not TO be given. During
the term OF her contract teacher should not be
discharged without hearing and proof OF VIOLA
ton OF rules or Of In competency.
). No term OF office for the superintendent IS
limited and no maximum OF age is prescribed.
An old man might De put In for life.
g. 1.-The books In all the schools shall be uniform"
As IL reads, this Is absurd. Are the books used In
the frst and eighth grades to be the same?
2. No sites are 10 be bought or school building
erected BY the District Commissioners without
previous approval OF the trustees or their commit
tee. A provision something like this was struck
out OF last winters bill before II was passed by the
House, and there IS no probability OF the passage
OF any bill with this provision In it. The purchase
of sites should be made by bonded officers, as also
contracts for building. Dabbling Ia land pur-
chaSes and building contracts would fatally In
volve the board In scandals.
.. Twenty-fOur trustees are too many There
are, besides them, two superintendent and eight
supervisors, making total OF thirty-four persons
In the management. OF these ten are Salaried
and devote their whole time to the management
The board would be made up OF sixteen white and
eight colored men, and would be a wrangling club
"a theater on which mediocre men would display
their vanity OF notoriety. The able and highly
respected men on the present board would decline
membership OF such debating society," and the
board would be OF necessity made up OF persons
pressing for appointment, and pressed in turn by
sisters, cousins and auntS anxious to get Office
under the school board. We have never had 50
good a school board as the present one, and II Is
better policy not TO enlarge its number
The whole tendency OF municipal reform Is to
concentrate responsibility. one Is ar better than
three Tor executive work. Mast, In his celebrated
picture OF tn. Tweed ring, represents each rascal
as pointing TO the next man the man who did IL,
y. But the chief defect OF the proposed bill is
that IL provides no solution Tor the difficulty
which has so often, since 1874, disturbed the re-
lations between the trustees and the Commits
soners. This concerns acquisitions and contracts
FOR supplies, repairs, improvements, alterations
&C. The provision for a "report" by the board Is
inadequate; the Commissioners are left free TO
contract, whether report Is made not. Ii 1t is
contended that the general provision that the
board snail perform, &c, ''all executive duties in
connection" with the schools excludes the Com
mlssioners from all action in such matters, this
construction will not be accepted by the Commits
sioners, and IL cannot be reconciled with the
clause which recognizes their right to contract
for sites and erection af buildings. Indeed the
bill leaves the very point OF trouble In worse con-
fusion than ever. IL settles Satls actortly the
power OF the trustees 10 appoint teachers; but In
view OF the fact that the Commissioners have
never appointed teacher, this Is not d matter OF
first Importance. In conclusion, / respectfully
suggest 10 the Committee Of One Hundred that
the DILL be recommltted for amendment Ii licked
into shape IL Will receive the general support OF
citizens In It's presents crude form 1t will cause
strife instead OF ending It. Many would prefer
having the colored schools placed In charge or a
separate board rather than place the white schools
In charge OF board containing eight colored men,
bera CRITIC.